


Swap

by m0nica



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-21 19:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30027015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m0nica/pseuds/m0nica
Summary: In Catching Fire, Effie calls Peeta's name instead and Haymitch volunteers as tribute instead. Follows the reaping, the preparation, and the games with Peeta as a mentor and Haymitch as the tribute.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen & Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 10
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

Effie’s acrylic nails clack against the glass as she reaches for one of the two slips of paper in the bowl. They slip past her fingers, both seemingly running away from her. After several moments of fumbling, she finally catches one in her fingers and brings it to her chest. 

Peeta and Haymitch both stand stoically, both firm in the respective decisions they have already made. Katniss stands besides Effie, eyes closed in anticipation. She doesn’t want to see the name on that paper. Effie quickly unravels it, and lets out a subtle breath of relief. Instantly, Katniss and Haymitch know what it says. Haymitch has already taken a step forward as Effie reads the slip, “Peeta Mellark.”

Peeta lifts his foot to step forward, but Haymitch pulls him back by his shoulder, 

“I volunteer as tribute,” he says coldly. He steps over towards Katniss and Effie.

“What? No! No!” Peeta cries. He looks at Haymitch frantically, but he won’t meet his eyes.

The Peacekeepers on the stage grab him and he thrashes, fighting hard to escape them, “I volunteer! I volunteer! No!” It’s like no one can even hear him. Effie, Haymitch, and Katniss all ignore him, save Katniss’s soft tears trickling down. He searches the crowd, meeting the sympathetic eyes of his father. Mr. Mellark looked both extraordinarily relieved and heartbroken for his youngest son. Katniss Everdeen had kept his son alive many times, and he would keep his promise of keeping her family alive in return. Just weeks ago he was so happy for his son. It was so evident that his son and Katniss were so in love, even if both parties weren’t aware of it. His heart ached watching him fight so desperately for the chance to save her.

Peeta met Gale’s eyes, and even he seemed to sympathize. He figured that much of that was the fact that Gale wanted Peeta to go back to arena and perish so he would be fully out the picture, but he thought that a small part of Gale felt sorry for him, too.

Though she knows she’ll see him on the train, Katniss can’t stop herself from reaching out for Peeta. She lunges for him, giving him one soft kiss on his cheek.

“I’m sorry, Peeta. We had to protect you,” she whispers in his ear. He cries out and fights the Peacekeepers even more viscously, his body unwilling to accept that Katniss is going to be in the arena alone. His body is practically convulsing as he gnaws at and kicks the Peacekeepers. His thrashing is so violent that Katniss worries the Peacekeepers might sedate him.

He can’t even hear Effie through the ringing in his ears. His whole body feels heavy and his heart feels like it might jump right out of his chest. He had never felt so much panic, not even when they called his name last year. He didn’t even come to when the crowd placed three fingers to their lips and raised them to the sky, but he noticed when Haymitch and Katniss followed suit. He escaped the Peacekeepers’ grip long enough to copy the gesture, and took that opportunity to charge towards Katniss.

The Peacekeepers tugged them apart instantly, dragging Katniss and Haymitch through the doors. She could still hear him call out for her and curse Haymitch even when the doors slammed behind her.

“I’m sorry, Peeta,” she sobbed, “I had to protect you.”


	2. Chapter 2

When the doors took Haymitch and Katniss away, Peeta stopped fighting. Exhausted and defeated, he collapsed onto the stage. The Peacekeepers tried to hold him up, but he wasn’t doing them any favors. He didn’t care that the whole district, or even all of Panem, was watching him breakdown. He didn’t have to act for a second. The love of his life was going to enter a battlefield with 23 trained killers, and she was enemy number one for them all. The Capital wanted her dead, the other victors wanted her dead. Peeta had no desire to regain his composure. If Panem would laugh at his expense, so be it. Maybe if people saw the way the Capitol was ripping apart their beloved star-crossed lovers, they’d feel something. They had been rooting for their happy ending, right? 

Peeta knew that there was no way Katniss was going to enter that arena. He was going to stop the games, no matter what the cost.

After a few minutes, the Peacekeepers dragged Peeta to the train. He was now the lone mentor, though he didn’t know what the sense was. He still refused to carry his own weight. He watched the Peacekeepers yell into the crowd, forcing everyone to scatter. They tugged him off the stage and practically tossed him into the train. With great effort, he manages to get himself up and start searching for Katniss.

He shuffled through the halls of the train, calling her name. He checked her room, the dining room, and what was once his room before realizing exactly where she’d be. He darted towards the back of the train, the sun room, where she liked to hide during the tour. He pulled the door open to find a misty-eyed Katniss, holding her knees to her chest.

“Katniss,” he breathed. Her head shot up, and she immediately ran into his arms, “Peeta!”

The anger dissipated. He simply did not have enough time to fight her or enough energy to even try. He held her in his arms as tight as he could, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. She buried her face in his chest, scrunching her hands in the hem of his shirt. She sobbed into him, letting all of her walls down. She, too, realized that their time together could be limited. Fighting her feelings was futile.

“I’m going to stop this, Katniss. I’m going to get you out of there,” Peeta swore. Katniss just shook her head. She didn’t have the energy to fight, either.

The door reopened, but Peeta refused to lessen his group on Katniss. He wasn’t ever going to let her go again.

“Peeta,” Haymitch began, bracing himself.

The anger was back. Peeta was seething, “How could you?”

“Look, son,”

“You promised me, Haymitch. You owed me,” Peeta hissed. 

“Peeta, it’s not his fault!” Katniss cried, pushing herself out of his grasp, “I begged him.”

“Why would you do that?” Peeta was practically growling, “What were you thinking?”

Katniss sniffled, “I had to protect you.”

“Why!” Peeta shouted.

“Because that’s what we do, Peeta! We keep each other alive!” 

Haymitch stepped in between them, forcing Katniss behind his protective arm. After a moment, he spoke calmly, “I understand that you are angry, son. But Katniss and I agree that no matter what… you deserve to live.”

“And Katniss? Doesn’t she?” Peeta yelled.

“Peeta, do you honestly think I plan on being the one who comes out of that arena?” Haymitch snapped. Katniss grabbed his arm and spun him around, but she didn’t speak. Haymitch nodded at her and turned back to Peeta, “I promised you I would keep her safe, and I promised her I would keep you safe. That’s what I’m going to do, kid.”

Peeta stood in disbelief. He shook his head in frustration, but he couldn’t find any words. He was so sick of Haymitch and Katniss keeping him out of the loop. He was sick of feeling like their child they needed to protect. Still, he trusted Haymitch. He knew that when all was said and done, Haymitch really would try to save Katniss over himself. He loved her, too.

“You’re our mentor now. It’s not as hard as you might think. I’ll teach you everything you need to know about getting sponsors, but the rest is what you already know,” Haymitch began. He waited for Peeta to nod in understanding before continuing, “Effie and I will go over the tributes with you. She’s got every victor’s games on tape. We’ll watch the reapings, then we’ll figure out who we’re up against. I know most of them, anyway. Peeta, you’re in a very interesting situation. I would venture to bet that Cesar will want to talk to you even though you aren’t a tribute. Be ready for that.”

They continued the conversation over dinner. As promised, they watched all of the reapings. Haymitch seldom showed much emotion in general, but he did have visceral reactions seeing some of the names. Peeta realized that usually Haymitch would’ve gotten this information before the tributes, so he’d be able to hide this part. Still, Haymitch bounced back and gave Peeta all of the necessary info on how the sponsorship system works. He gave Peeta tips, tricks, and potential leads. He told him all about the people who donated to Katniss the year prior and who would likely do it again. Peeta didn’t even touch his food, as he was taking thorough notes on everything that came out of Haymitch’s mouth. Peeta couldn’t help but notice that Haymitch didn’t even have a drink with dinner, which gave him confidence that Haymitch was serious about saving Katniss. It was humbling in a way.

Peeta also noticed that Effie didn’t say a peep. She wasn’t any bit of her normal bubbly, energetic self. She quietly ate her food, not even with the correct forks, without even a hint of a smile. It dawned on him that maybe Haymitch was all she had. She never spoke of any loved ones in the Capital, and for all Peeta knew she was single. He didn’t know how attached she had grown to any of the other tributes from District 12, but he thought she was smarter than to get too involved. Effie had watched dozens of teenagers die, and it seemed like Haymitch was the only one she had to hold onto. It must have been hard to listen to him talk so openly about sacrificing himself. Effie loved Katniss too, probably even more than she loved Haymitch. Still, it could not have been easy to hear. She’d lose one of them, and they were the people that were supposed to be safe.

After dinner, Peeta took over his role as mentor and insisted that everyone get their rest. He planned to watch all of the victors’ first game tapes and report back with everything he learned in the morning. Haymitch took back his old room, and Peeta knew it was in part so that the two of them would still be close.


	3. Chapter 3

After several hours of videos, Peeta was startled by the sounds of Katniss’s screams. The rational thought of “Oh, she’s having a nightmare” never comes into his head. It’s always the fear that something has happened and she’s in danger. He charges towards her room and throws the door open. She’s not awake yet, but is still shaking in fear and potentially chill. Her body is jerking, her back arching as she screams in terror, still lost in her nightmare. Without hesitation, Peeta climbs into her bed beside her. He gently lifts her and places her head and hands on his chest. He isn’t sure if she wakes up, but she does nuzzle closer into him. She’s still for the rest of the night, and Peeta lets himself rest, too.

Katniss didn’t remember him joining her, but she believes she feels so well rested because of it. The two make no effort to conceal that they now spend the night together, though they are both pretty certain there’s rules about tributes and mentors sharing a bed. Effie and Haymitch pay it no mind. Though technically Peeta should be doing all the mentoring, Haymitch spends breakfast going on about how he and Katniss will really need allies. He’ll be able to help on that front, but Katniss had to do her part as well. He was going to need to spend a lot of time freshening up on his skills. Haymitch and Peeta laid out everything they had learned about every single tribute so Katniss could set her sights on valuable players.

The opening ceremonies came and went, and Portia was now styling Haymitch. Even though Peeta was not on the chariot, the cameras were constantly panning over to him. Even given the circumstances, it was hard not to look awestruck at how divine Katniss looked. It was just as hard to not turn green with envy as Finnick approached Katniss, clearly flirting. He was just as gorgeous as her, and only a few years later. It wasn’t that Peeta wanted him to die, but he certainly wouldn’t shed any tears for him now. In a weird way, he was kind of delighted to see Katniss share his jealousy when Johanna undressed in front of him. Peeta stopped himself from blurting, “Trust me, I would much rather see you undress like that.” He worried that she had only feigned jealousy because it would be odd for a madly in love woman not to be jealous of a naked woman hitting on her fiance, but he was sure it was more than that. She was actually upset. He would make it up to her in the bedroom, though not in the way Johanna suggested.

While the tributes were training, Peeta poured over every rule he could find about the Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell. He searched frantically for some sort of loophole or evidence that this was a fallacy concocted by Snow. He searched high and low, but there was nothing of any use. Eventually, Effie forced him to stop and grab some lunch. Though her cheery demeanor was still gone, Effie still told Peeta everything he needed to know about his role moving forward. It dawned on him that if Katniss nor Haymitch make it out alive, this will be the rest of his life. He’ll spend months like this, with no one but Effie, and two teenagers from his district who are doomed to die, too. He shaked off the thought. Katniss was going to live. She just had to.

When they returned, Peeta was eager to hear about their potential allies. Katniss was, as expected, being quite difficult and insisted her and Haymitch go at it alone. Haymitch was exceedingly frustrated, as Katniss was making it very difficult for him to help her. Peeta was frustrated, too. He adored her strength, but her stubbornness in situations like this was absolutely exhausting. Peeta told them both that he would let the other mentors know that Katniss was still deciding.

“Haymitch, how was your training?” Peeta asked. He worried about Haymitch’s ability to save Katniss of course, but he also worried about him on his own.

Haymitch shook his head in return, “Don’t worry about me, kid.”

Peeta hadn’t been in his actual assigned room a single time. He snuggled up with Katniss, dreading the fact that soon he would have to spend his nights without her. Possibly forever.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Haymitch had left a note saying that he would handle all of the mentor things for the day. He wrote that he knew Katniss was prepared for the interview, so the two of them could just have the day. Peeta wondered what percentage of this was a gift to them and what percent was Haymitch taking the day to prepare for the last day of his life. Effie was gone too, and he wondered if the two of them were together. Either way, that gave Katniss and Peeta one whole day all to themselves.

The rooftop of their building had a divinely gorgeous garden, with a breathtaking view of the city. Though the city was the bane of both of their existences, it was a quite remarkable sight. Katniss suggests that they have a picnic. They order a bunch of food, grab some blankets, and spend the day together. Peeta was shocked by Katniss’s seemingly romantic plan, and even more shocked when he saw the food. There were breads and fancy pastries of course, but also grapes, chocolate covered strawberries, and artisanal cheeses. He couldn’t help but stare at her as she wrapped her lips around the fruit, blissfully unaware of the effect she had on him. He offered her another, and she opened her mouth below it, letting him feed it to her. Unable to resist, he quickly kissed her, wrapping himself in the flavor of chocolate and Katniss.

They tried to be somewhat productive. Katniss practiced knots and weave nets. Peeta sketched her as she worked. They played catch with apples and the forcefield that surrounded them, preventing any tribute from jumping to their death.

“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it forever,” Peeta said. Much to his shock, Katniss responded, “Okay. I’ll allow it.”

She fell asleep in his lap, and Peeta couldn’t help but marvel at her. In any other world, this would be a date. He daydreamed a moment exactly like this a million times. There wasn’t much a first date could be in District 12, but he had some ideas. Those dreams never included the impending doom of the Hunger Games or of Gale. If she did make it home, would they still have days like these?

He woke her up as the sun started to set, and she thanked him. They had plenty of food left, and neither felt inclined to face Effie or Haymitch at dinner. They seemed to be dealing with plenty on their own, anyway. They continued to chat for hours, not leaving each other’s embrace.

It was nearly midnight when their conversation lulled. Peeta was laying on his back, hands helping prop his head up. Katniss was lying on top of him completely, her face mere inches from his.

For a moment, she thinks he’s going to kiss her. He’s staring deep into his eyes longingly, and she’s smiling back at him. She waits for him to close the gap, and she’s growing impatient. She realizes that for the first time, she wants to kiss him. She doesn’t just want his embrace for the feeling of safety or comfort. She doesn’t just want to kiss him because it will shut him up or appease the crowd. She just wants him to kiss her.

Impatient, she leans in to him. She’s more eager than she realized, and her kiss isn’t gentle. He responds in kind, his hands cradling her face. She runs her fingers through his hair, and she doesn’t think she’s ever felt something so soft in her whole life. She has no idea what she’s doing. She’s never had a kiss like this. Maybe Peeta was right. Maybe she was pure. Still, the idea of letting him go right now made her far too sad. This felt right, and even if she was doing it wrong, she didn’t want to stop.

Peeta hadn’t had a kiss like this either, and he was sure he never would. He had long accepted the fact that his love for Katniss was unrequited, but all of that was muddled now. He was thoroughly confused, but he didn’t want to let that ruin the moment. He sat up so Katniss was completely straddling him. His hands traced her sides, settling on her hips and pulling her closer. Katniss’s tongue was tracing his lips and he couldn’t contain his groan. Her hands fell to his chest and he pulled away. The separation was immediately painful for Katniss, but the feeling of his lips on her neck was immaculate. Her nails dig into him, and she arches her back against him. She hadn’t ever felt feelings like this before. He had given her small, gentle neck kisses before, but nothing like this. 

Though she wasn’t sure what she really wanted, she knew the rooftop was not the best place to continue. Through gasps, she asks, “Will you stay with me tonight?” Peeta breathlessly nods, “Always.”

The two of them walk hand in hand down to their room, both their hearts pounding. Neither really knew what they were about to do, but they were excited all the same. They slipped into the door, and Katniss closed it quietly behind her. For a long moment, they just stared at each other. The moonlight was bright, and neither of them had seen the other look so beautiful. Peeta wasn’t sure if he should kiss her again. Was that moment over? He was completely content holding her all night, and he didn’t want to jeopardize that by being assumptious. 

Katniss kept holding his hand and gently pulled him into bed with her. He laid on his back, and Katniss continued looking up at him. Slowly, she leaned into him again. Her kiss was much more soft, much more of what she was used to. Still, there was an obvious heat in them that made his head spin. Though he was totally revved up now, he returned her gentleness.

Katniss wasn’t sure what exactly she wanted or was feeling, but she knew she wanted to be closer to him. If this was the last day they’d ever have like this, she wanted to end it as close to him as possible. She wanted his bare skin on hers, to feel all his warmth. Though her kisses were still chaste, she let her fingers roam his chest under the hem of his shirt. She started to roll it up, letting her hands explore every inch of his chest. He drew in a breath. She’d never touched anyone like this before, and he certainly had never been touched like that. He let himself enjoy the heavenly feeling of her lips on his, her hands running all over him. She pushed the shirt up higher and higher, and Peeta realized that she wanted him to take it off. Though extremely confused, he broke their kiss for half a second to lift his shirt over his head and toss it on the floor. Instead of kissing him again, Katniss took a moment to appreciate the view. Though she had seen him without a shirt many times, she never took the time to really look at him. She knew how beautiful he was and obviously knew he was strong, but she had never let herself feel all of his muscles under her fingers. She’d never noticed the definition of his biceps or abs. 

Nervously, she leaned down to his neck and kissed him, just like he had done to her. She continued down, kissing down his chest. She paused at his heart, listening to its rapid beating. His reaction to her kisses was amazing, and she wondered how she would feel if he did the same. Without thinking, she reached up and lifted her own top above her head. Peeta’s eyes went wide.

“Oh, Katniss…” he breathed. He didn’t touch her at first. He just marveled. She leaned down and kissed him again, wanting to feel the warmth of his bare skin on hers. He was still kissing her slowly, staying contained. He let his hands run up her sides, but she moved them to her chest. With a groan, Peeta sat up. He was losing the power to control himself. She was back to straddling him, and he was sitting upright. His hands gave her a gentle squeeze, and like she wanted, he started to kiss her jaw, neck, and chest. He let his teeth scrape against her, soothing the spots with his tongue. Katniss didn’t know that another person could make her feel so good.

Still, the feeling of them chest to chest was not close enough. She needed more, and although she seldom thought about it before, she was ready. Unsure how to proceed, she started to tug at his pants. She had seen dozens of naked men before, but she wanted to see Peeta that way so badly. 

Peeta could not believe this was really happening. He was holding a beautiful, topless Katniss, and she was eagerly pulling his clothes off. This whole day was so perfect he wondered if he was actually already dead. Soon, his pants and underwear were off, and Katniss was no longer being gentle.

She leaned back into him with a passion neither of them had ever felt before. Her hands were touching him everywhere, and she was living for the sounds he elicited. She wanted him to touch her, too.

“Peeta,” she moaned.

“Katniss?” he questioned. He wasn’t sure what he was really asking, but he was in awe. He didn’t know what was happening.

“I just,” she trailed off, “I just want to be close to you. As close as I can.”

Peeta’s stomach was filled with butterflies and his body filled with need. Did she really say that? Was he hallucinating? Was he dead?

He nodded, “I want that, too.”

Carefully, he started pulling at the rest of her clothes. Normally, she’d be embarrassed by this. He had never seen her like this. No one had. Still, she was comfortable with him. She felt safe.

He had flipped them over so he was looming over her. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered in between kisses, “so, so beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful,” she smiled, “Come here.”

He realized that she had never said anything like that to him before. 

They continued to kiss and explore each others’ bodies with their hands. Though both petrified with nerves, this felt right. They were so enthralled with each other, and when they finally came together, it was magical. Though neither had much of an idea what they were doing, they felt incredible. Peeta was worried he would hurt, and Katniss couldn’t imagine a feeling any better than this. She couldn’t imagine anyone else she would want to be close to like this, even Gale. He was taking care of her, keeping her safe. Every move he made radiated his love. Though she didn’t know how to say the words back, in a way, he knew. 

Neither one knew how long they went. All they knew was that even beyond the awkwardness and fear of impending death, it was amazing. He didn’t leave her side again. He stayed with her, now even more attached than ever before. His last thoughts of the night were that he simply could not let her go. He had to find a way to stop the games.


	5. Chapter 5

Separating in the morning was excruciatingly painful. The stylists had to practically pry their naked bodies apart. Even though Peeta wasn’t a tribute, Portia still had prepared a look for him, so he needed to leave. He resisted the urge to thank Flavius and Octavia for their work on Katniss’s body. They were only scandalized for a moment, but more than anything they seemed emotional.

Getting ready took hours, but that seemed to be mostly from Haymitch. Haymitch wasn't in the mood for talking, and Peeta was thankful for that. All he could do was sit back and remember the night before. He imagined every kiss, every touch, every inch of her. 

After they were fully groomed, dressed, and made up, Peeta waited for Katniss back stage. The sight of her in a wedding dress was overwhelming. Usually, that made him kind of sad. He knew that for her their wedding would be a life sentence-- she'd be trapped. After last night, he let himself imagine a real wedding. One that she wanted. He imagined getting on one knee for real, and having her agree to marry him because she loved him. He smiled ruefully at the thought of the pure white. He hoped he’d get the chance to rip that dress to shreds tonight, though he was well aware this would be their last night together before the games. Possibly ever.

The Capital cameras were all on him, everyone wanting to watch his short goodbye. Though he never had an easy time letting her go, the feeling was physically painful after last night. He was even more attached, and he knew that at least some part of her was attached to him, too. Reluctantly, he squeezed her hand and gave her a soft kiss on the temple.

“Good luck, Katniss. You’ll be amazing. They’ll love you.” he smiled. Every time he touched her his mind replayed the highlights of the night before.

Then it hit him. He knew how to stop the games.

He got down on his knees, ignoring Katniss’s confused reaction. He placed his hands on her waist and his lips on the white silk covering her stomach.

“And you, too. They’ll love you too,” he said, a little bit too loud, at her stomach. He stood back up and kissed Katniss’s lips, hoping to cover her shocked face. He couldn’t let her give it away.

“You’ll both be amazing,” he said. He gave her hand one last squeeze, winked at Haymitch, and turned away. Haymitch was quick to play along. He pulled Katniss in for what looked like a supportive hug and whispered in her ear, “That boy is brilliant. Play along.”

As expected, their departure was being projected to the audience in the stadium. Their gasps and shocked reactions could be heard from backstage. Even the other tributes were in shock. She didn’t know if they believed it or not, but they all wanted to games cancelled. Maybe they’d appreciate this.

Like clockwork, every interview focused on the need for the games to be cancelled. Though none brought up Katniss’s fabricated condition, the audience was still yelling about it. Some had even started chanting, “Cancel the games!”

Cesar tried hard to lead the conversation away from the subject, but when he finally did ask about Peeta, Katniss jumped on the opportunity. She explained that Haymitch volunteered so that they would have a chance to be together again someday, and that Peeta couldn’t bare to leave Katniss alone in the arena. Cesar mentioned that Peeta was so brave for that, and Katniss responded, “He’s already so paternal.” She did Cinna's pre-planned spin and revealed her Mockingjay dress, but now even that was uneventful.

That did it. The audience was ablaze. Their shouting made Haymitch’s interview difficult to hear, but he did his best to hit it home, too. He told Cesar that he volunteered for Peeta because he wanted them to have a chance, even adding that he wanted to protect his future godchild.


	6. Chapter 6

On stage, all the tributes held hands in unity before the lights were shut off and everyone was made to leave. Peacekeepers kept tributes from different districts apart, but were unable to contain the dysfunction and chaos from the crowd. Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch all noticed the difference of treatment towards Capital citizens than towards those in the districts. No one there was getting flogged.

Peeta intercepted Katniss backstage and couldn’t stop himself from lifting her up in his arms and spinning her.

“I told you I’d get you out of here,” he whispered into her hair.

Katniss was not as optimistic as him, but she didn’t dare let him know. She had a suspicion that the gamemakers were under strict orders to kill her, and that included anyone growing inside of her. Still, she walked hand in hand with him as the Peacekeepers pushed them into an elevator.

They sat on the couch in their suite for what felt like hours before Peeta was summoned away. Katniss was paranoid that the call for mentors was a ploy to take Peeta and assassinate him. He tried his best to ease her nerves, assuring her that Plutarch was going to tell them that the games were off, or at the very least, Katniss would be going home safe. He kissed her on the forehead before dragging himself away.

Peeta looked like a small child standing with the mentors of the other eleven districts. Some were younger, maybe in their thirties or forties, but some were much, much older. Though he didn’t do a thorough count, it was clear that some districts didn’t have mentors anymore. Some must have only had one man and one woman, so they were both tributes now. Just like in the training center, the mentors of the Career pack were standing together. They had no problem attacking Katniss and Peeta’s stupidity with Peeta standing just feet away. They complained about how ridiculous this was, how they needed to test her, and that she intentionally got pregnant when the Quell was announced. One even commented that it was unbelievable that Katniss and Peeta had ever done the need, and Peeta couldn’t help but smile. At least they got that part wrong.

One of the lower level Gamemakers joined the group and announced that the games would be proceeding in the morning as scheduled. Peeta wasn’t the only mentor to jump down his throat. All of the non-career victors were furious, shouting expletives at the young man. Still, the Gamemaker’s eyes were fixed on Peeta. 

“Please,” Peeta begged, “I’ll do anything.” The Gamemaker looked at Peeta sympathetically, but it was clear this was not a decision he had a say in. He nodded curtly at the group before literally running away from them. 

Peeta stood in stunned silence. He was certain this plan had worked. He felt silly believing that anyone in the Capital would care about any child’s life. That had not been the case for the last seventy-five years. Some of the other mentors tried to comfort him, but their efforts were fruitless. Peeta sauntered back to the elevators, unsure how he’d be able to face Katniss now.

When he entered the suite, Haymitch and Katniss lept to their feet. They had both changed out of their costuming. Peeta couldn’t find the words, so he just shook his head. Katniss and Haymitch were disappointed, but not surprised. Haymitch complimented Peeta on his stroke of brilliance, and they all said their goodbyes. Peeta had finally pieced together that this would be the last time he ever saw Haymitch. Even if Haymitch outlived Katnissed, he would never fight against his friends. He was going to die. It was impossible for Peeta to properly say goodbye to someone who was literally giving their life for him, even if it was against his will. There were simply no words that sounded right. He decided that even though he was going to put every last drop of his energy into saving Katniss, he would make sure Haymitch was taken care of, too. If Katniss died before Haymitch, Peeta would exhaust all his earnings and send Haymitch the finest alcohol the Capital could send. He would grant him that. If he was injured or dying, he’d at least send him the cheap stuff. 

Though really tributes are supposed to spend the night alone, neither Peeta or Katniss even considered it. Peeta suggested he go take a shower and meet Katniss in her room afterward, but she refused. She was irrationally afraid that their bedroom doors would lock and they’d be trapped apart.

“There’s a shower in my room,” Katniss pleaded, “Can’t you just use that?”

Peeta took her hand and walked with to her room. He tried to let go to head into the bathroom, but she would not release his hand. He had never seen her like this before. He attributed her newfound attachment to the events of the night before.

He teasingly suggested that she was welcome to join him in the shower. Shockingly, she agreed. She was craving a hot shower, too, but the idea of being away from Peeta for even a moment was terrifying. Without letting go of his hand, Katniss walked into her bathroom and started pressing the shower buttons. 

Gone was the anxious Peeta from the night before. There was very little he could do for her at this point, and he would happily grant her this. He wanted to make her feel good, even if it was just for a little bit. He wanted to give her memories to hold onto in the arena. When she was cold, alone, and scared for her life, he wanted to give her something to think about. Truthfully, he wanted to give himself something to think about, too. 

As Katniss was messing with the buttons, Peeta pressed against her from behind. He put his hand over hers, moving it to turn the temperature even hotter. 

With his other hand, he moved her hair behind her ear and whispered, “Make it steamy.” His breath was hot on her skin, causing her to throw her head back. Peeta moved his hands slowly down her back and onto her hips, kissing the newly exposed skin of her neck. She went limp in his arms, and Peeta spun her around. They were nose to nose, staring deep into each other’s eyes.

Craving the feeling of her hands on him again, Peeta slowly removed his suit jacket and started unbuttoning his shirt. Katniss eagerly followed his path with her fingers. Somehow, he was even more beautiful in the light. He quickly unzipped his pants and pushed them off. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. He gave her a gentle kiss before entering the shower.

“You coming?” he teased. Feeling bold, Katniss opened the door behind him and stepped in the shower fully clothed.

“Here I am,” she said.

Peeta stepped towards her, “Oh yeah?”

Katniss slowly spun around, running her finger through her wet hair, “Yeah, this feels good.”

“It does?” Peeta questioned. Katniss nodded.

Peeta leaned over and resumed kissing down her neck. He pulled her shirt to the side to continue kissing down her collarbone, “Does this feel good, too?”

Katniss nodded again, and Peeta continued. His hands ran up her shirt and to her chest, massaging her, “Does this feel good?”

Her breath caught as he continued down her stomach and into her pants, “How about this?”

As he leaned down to kiss her body again, she caught his face and pulled him into a searing kiss. Her hands tangled into his hair, and he eagerly kissed her back. He clawed at her clothes impatiently, desperate to feel her warm skin all over him. By the time he got everything off she was devouring his mouth even more urgently than the night before. The combination of experience and the knowledge that this could very well be the last night of her life made her much bolder. 

Unable to wait any longer, Peeta lifted her into his arms and pinned her against the tile wall. She almost forgot how incredibly strong he was. The water from his bangs dripped over her. She didn’t know which was hotter-- the feeling of his proximity or the hot steam surrounding her. While still supporting all her weight, Peeta pressed into her. They both gasped at the immediate feeling of pleasure. He rocked against her, slow at first but progressively faster and harder. They both felt even more incredible than the night before.

Afterwards, they stayed in the shower together. They washed each other’s hair and explored the other’s body with soap. Katniss felt more exposed like that. Somehow that was much more intimate. 

When they finally laid in bed again, the hot and heavy feelings were replaced with the realization that in a matter of hours they were going to be torn apart. Surprising even to herself, Katniss was just as upset at the idea of being away from Peeta as she was at the idea of dying. She hadn’t realized how much she needed Peeta. He was her rock. The thought of never seeing him again was as painful as the thought of her own death. 

Peeta knew that mentors were expected very early in the morning, and he didn’t know how much time he’d really have with her. She knew how he felt, but there were some things he just needed to say.

“Katniss, you have to win,” he muttered, stroking her hair as she laid on his chest. He was unaware that he was quoting her sister.

“I’m going to try, Peeta,” she promised.

She chose her next words carefully. She didn’t know what her feelings mean, but she knows that they are strong and that they’re not going away. She knew they’ll far out live the Quell, even though she didn’t believe she would.

“And when I get back, you better be the first person there waiting for me.”

Peeta was choked up, but he managed to smile, “I will be.”


	7. Chapter 7

Peeta was summoned away before dawn. He heard the Avox banging on the door of his room, unaware that he had never set foot in it. He went back and forth on the decision to wake Katniss. She needed her rest, but he’d never forgive himself if she died and he never got in this last word. Untangling himself from her caused her to stir, so he whispered in her ear that he had to go now. Even in her hazy state, she begged him to stay. It broke his heart.

“I’m going to see you soon, Katniss. Fight like hell,” he sniffled. He couldn’t resist giving her one last gentle kiss and whispering, “I love you” before quietly leaving the room and following the Avox down to the screening room. He knew that she knew this, but he had to say it at least once.

There was very little the mentors needed to do that morning. Clearly the early start was so that the mentors and tributes could not continue any day-of training. Portia had kindly laid him out a chic black suit with flames running up the sleeves, so he put it on. He had no will to do anything else to his appearance, but Effie nervously fussed with his hair. Peeta and Effie weren’t the only ones emotionally involved with their tributes. Though many mentors were stoic, some were just as much of a wreck as Peeta. He almost felt guilty about how dirty he was willing to play, but they’d do the same. Katniss had to be the one who made it out alive.

There were no sponsors in the room to schmooze yet, and Peeta certainly wasn’t up for any idle chit chat. He just paced back and forth, checking the screens every few seconds. Effie tried to soothe him, but she was just as nervous as she was. Peeta hoped he could cover her eyes before Haymitch died. He prayed she didn’t see that.

Several hours later, the screens lit up. There were no tributes yet, but the arena was in clear view. Peeta prayed that Katniss knew how to swim, though he wasn’t sure how she would. It certainly wasn’t a skill often taught to the citizens of 12. He was glued to the screen as he watched her rise from below onto her platform. She was already in a panic, which caused Peeta to panic even more.

“What’s going on? Did something happen?” he questioned Effie.

“I-- I don’t know,” Effie replied, “Is she just.. Panicking?”

“No, something happened to her. Something must have happened,” Peeta was sure.

Effie put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “Maybe it’s being without you, Peeta.” She was quite generous with that fear, but Peeta insisted something had happened. Effie decided to track down Cinna, as he was the last one to see her. Peeta was thankful she was leaving at the start. These were always the deadliest minutes of the whole games, and Haymitch could go right away.

Peeta watched as the clock counted down, and let out a huge breath of relief as Katniss gracefully dove into the sea and swam to the Cornucopia. She was on the opposite side of Haymitch, but the Capital cameras did not show him anymore. They flashed back and forth to the Careers, to Katniss, and to Finnick. Peeta, as well as the rest of Panem, watched as Katniss tried to attack Finnick, but quickly stopped. It was impossible to see why, but the two of them started to fight off tributes together. They then gathered Mags and met Haymitch on a strip of beach. Peeta was relieved to see that Haymitch had made it, too, but couldn’t help but be wary of this alliance.


	8. Chapter 8

The only thing worse than watching the games was not watching them. Every moment Peeta spent with sponsors was a moment he couldn’t see exactly what Katniss was dealing with. He was glued to the screen every second of the day, breaking only to interact with sponsors. He hardly rested. Effie couldn’t find Cinna, so she helped butter up sponsors as well. When Peeta seemed to really lose his mind, Effie would convince him to rest for an hour or so. He never left the screening room, needing to stay close in case he was needed right away.

Still, he excelled at getting sponsors. To the women, he’d plead for his unborn baby. He would say that the baby needs water or food or warmth. To the men, he’d talk about what an incredible legacy it would be for Katniss to and their child to survive, and for their child to become a victor as well. He’d ramble on about what a dream it would be for a tribute to have already won the games in utero. Many sponsors already had their sights set on Finnick, but Peeta assured them that Katniss was the better bet. He’d say that Finnick would never kill a pregnant woman, and that Katniss would do anything to protect her baby. He would tell them about her incomparable fire, and if it came to it, he would out right beg for their help. Nine times out of ten it worked. He was able to send her a spile for water, a tool for shucking oysters, a towel, and lots of bread. He even got to send her a few red roses, which one of the more hopeless romantic sponsors insisted on. Katniss kept one with her at all times. He didn’t know what mentors usually wrote in the notes, but he usually wrote something kind and light-hearted. Usually, he was the comedic relief in the arena. He tried to bring that still, writing things like “You still look beautiful covered in hives” or “Tell Finnick to keep his hands off.” Other times he’d write encouraging things, like that she’s doing amazing and he can’t wait to see her. When the exhaustion overtook Mags, Peeta wrote his letter giving his condolences to Finnick.

As the alliance grew, so did sponsors. The group was eating pretty well considering they were getting gifts of food shipped for lots of different people. Peeta began to save the money he raised, only sending out specific gifts sponsors wanted to give Katniss. He was worried about Katniss getting too attached to these people. Her heart was too big. She might choose someone else to win.

He watched Katniss endure poisonous fog, demon monkeys, and jabberjays that mimicked his voice. Haymitch tried to convince Katniss that Peeta, Gale, and Prim were safe and sound, but she was trapped in an echochamber with the screams. She was rather emotional for a while after that, and Haymitch was there for her. Haymitch held his own impressively well. Though he would be long dead if not for Katniss and the others, Haymitch’s quick thinking kept them alive on multiple occasions. It was clear that his commitment to saving Katniss was real. He and Finnick were also the ones who always addressed the pregnancy, too. That certainly made Peeta’s job easier. 

She cried on his shoulder after the jabberjay attack. He held her tightly, and if you didn’t know them they’d seem like any other father and daughter out there. She didn’t have much she could say aloud, but it was clear that she was dreading their inevitable goodbye. She thanked him for everything, and Haymitch himself got a little emotional.

“I haven’t had a family in a long, long time. But you, and Effie, and that boy have given me all the purpose I’ve needed for the last 25 years. You lot are my family.”

He paused, but when it was clear Katniss could not speak, he said, “And you and Peeta? You’re family. No matter what.”

Haymitch was more perceptive than Katniss gave him credit for. He knew there was mutual love there, but more than that, he knew that this shared trauma was going to be impossible to get through. They’d need each other. Even if she chose Gale, she would still need Peeta.

“Thank you for saving him,” Katniss sobbed. Peeta had never seen her so emotional before. He was starting to worry if she really was pregnant. 

“When you get back, you give Effie a big thanks from me, too.”

Katniss nodded, “Of course.”

Peeta sent Haymitch a small loaf of bread with the note, “Thank you.” Haymitch saluted the sky when he read it, clearly directed at Peeta.

On the last night of the games, Peeta watched Katniss work with their allies to electrocute the rest of the tributes. He watched in horror as Johanna threw her to the ground and sliced her arm, and panicked as he saw Katniss line up her shot by the lightning rod of a tree.

“Katniss, what are you doing?” Peeta panicked, “What the hell is she doing?”

Effie shook her head, just as lost as he was.

They saw a flash of lightning, Katniss release her arrow, and then the screen went totally black. All of the sponsors and mentors were equally as confused, chattering amongst each other. Peeta seemed to be the only one who was terrified, but he noticed that several mentors were no longer in the room. Effie tried to calm him, but it was no use. She was just as confused. 

Suddenly, three Peacekeepers entered the room and reached for Peeta. They didn’t say a word to him, but grabbed his arm and started to pull him out the room. He didn’t put up much a fight, being that he was still in absolute terror.

“Where is Katniss? What happened to her?” he cried. The Peacekeepers didn’t answer.

“Effie, find Katniss!” 

Effie nodded, tears running down her face. She had no idea what was happening, but she knew it wasn’t going to be good.


End file.
